If Congress fails to pass a funding bill, military members may have to wait for weeks to receive pay and benefits they earned and deserve. Cosponsor H.R. 2166,the Armed Services Always Paid (ASAP) Act, which would impose a permanent solution and allow military pay to continue during any lapse in appropriations.

In the midnight hour before the government was shut down in 2013, the Pay our Military Act was signed into law. This act, which allowed members of the armed forces to receive their pay and benefits during the shutdown, was passed unanimously
by the House and Senate. However, this bill only exempted military pay for Fiscal Year 2014, not for any future years.

Some of our military live month to month and are already in financial difficulties. When our men and women in uniform are standing in harms’ way for us with their lives hanging in the balance, they should NEVER have to worry about whether this
month’s paycheck will make it into their account so their loved ones don’t lose their house or car, or have groceries and medicine.

To prevent this from happening again, and in the interest of national security, my bill, the Armed Services Always Paid (ASAP) Act would make certain that if there is ever a government shutdown, military pay is treated similarly to Social
Security. The payments would not stop with the shutdown, but would continue at the same rate as immediately before the shutdown to all members of the military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Coast Guard, and reserve components – ensuring
that they will all receive their pay on time during any lapse in appropriations. H.R. 2166 is essential to making this fix happen, and taking care of our soldiers during a shutdown.

Please join in supporting a permanent solution to this critical military pay issue by cosponsoring the ASAP Act. For more information or to become a co-sponsor, please contact Sean Griffin (Sean.Griffin@mail.house.gov)
at 5-3035.